Method and apparatus for liberating air from receptacles containing carbonated beverages



June 30,1936. H. H. FISHER 2,046,256

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIBERATING AIR FROM RECEPTACLES CONTAINING CARBONATED BEVERAGES Filed Aug; 5, 1935 FILLING QKPPING MKC'H IN E MACHINE 1'5 i I v Y PatentedJune3o,1936

PATENT OFFICE amass METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIBERAT- ING am FROM BECEPTACLES CONTAIN- ING CABBONA'I'ED BEVERAGES Horace n. that, Salt Lake City, Utah Application Ami-t 5, ms, Serial No. 34.834

13 Claims. (craze-'12) ibis invmtion relates to a method and apparatus i'or r a and m to the of beer or other carbonated beverages.

In the "usual method of bottling carbonated beverages the bottles are passed automatically throughaflllingmachinewhere they are fllledto within an inch ortwo of the top and then to a capping'machine or the like where the crown seal orotherclosurelsapp dtosealthebottles air- .tight. Such a method while being satisfactory for bottling some beverages, is not entirely satisractory for bottling beer or other beverages which contain constituents which may be oxidized or otherwise adverselyv afiected by constituents ll ofthe air which remains in'the neck 01' the bottle above the liquid. v

In accordance with the present invention, are providedwhereby all or a partof the air remaining inthe top of the bottle aiterfilling will be expelled'and replaced before the sealing closure is applied'by a portion of the inert carbon dioxide with which the beverage was carbonated. More particularly, 'the present invention relates to the liberation of a part oivthe dissolved and/or I occluded carbon dioxide while the bottle is in a. "transit fromthefilling machinetothe capping machine, and preferably to means operated by tap'the bottle so that it will bejarred sufliciently to cause a portion of the at carbon dioxide m thefiliguidto be liberated,

'45 Themethodoi'thepresentinventionwillbe i'urtherinconnection with the accompanying drawlng..which is merely exemplary oioneiG-motapparatusiorcarryingoutthe 'methodoi'theinventiom' so, rutn drawing.

Hg. Ilsa relative posltion oi thetapping with to thebottle filling and'bottle capping 1.... t plan view-of bottle filling capping and shows the Figs. 2 and a are plan and side elevational views respectively of the bottle tapping mechanism.

Reien-ing to the drawing, the bottles to be filled are passed in any suitable manner to the bottle filling machine F, and after being filled are conducted to a bottle capping machine C by a suitably driven conveyor i which passes between uide rails 2 and 3 which maintain the bottles in proper alignment to operate the tapping mechanism to be described. v

' A base member 4 of the bottle tapping mechanism is adjustably secured to the guide rail 3 adjacent the bottle capping machine by a machine bolt 5 which passes through a slot 6 therein. The end of the base member 4 remote from the capping machine is oil'set as at I and forms a support for a bolt 8 about 'whichthe tapping mechanism rotates.

The mechanism for tapping the bottles B after they have left the filling machine comprises a member 9 having an elongated bearing collar l0 rotatably mounted on the bolt 8. The member 9 comprises an arm II which, as shown in Figs 2 and 3, extends upwardlyand forwardly and 5 normally lies in the path of the necks of the bottles intransit from the bottle filling machine to the bottle capping machine, and an arm II which extends downwardly and forwardly and has a hammer it at its lower end which, as will presently be described, is adapted to strike a passing bottle with suiilcient force to jar it suillciently to liberate a portion of the CO: in the liquid in the bottle. The arms II and I2 are connected by an offset portion M which acts both as a reinforcing means for the arms II and I2 and as means for preventing the bottle from passing into the space between the arms to such an extent that the hammer l3 would not strike thebottle at the proper place.

An arm I5 having a threaded inner end it for receiving the threaded lower end of the bolt 8 extends outwardly from the upper side of the oflset portion 1 oi the base member and has its outer end ll turned upwardly and formed with a stud it to receive one end 0! a tightly wound tension spring I 9. The arm I 2 has an upwardly extending part 20 which is formed with a similar stud 2| for receiving the other end of the spring IS. The spring I! normally retains the arms H and I2 in the relative position shown in Figs. 1

and 2, in which the outer end oi the arm ll lies in the path of the necks of the bottles as they pass from the filling machine to the capping machine. A nut 23 is threaded on tothe end oi the tapping mechanism the neck thereof engages the outer end of the arm I l and rotates the member 9 in a clockwise direction (simultaneously loading the spring I!) untilthe bottle neck eventually rides over the end of the arm. The member 9 is then free to return to its normal position under the influence of the spring I! and as it flips back the hammer I! carried on the end of the arm I2 strikes the bottle and jars it sufiiciently to liberate a portion of the carbon dioxide which is dissolved or occluded in the liquid in the bottle. The liberated carbon dioxide instantly rises to the top of the liquid and expels and replaces all or a part ofthe air in the bottle above the liquid. The bottle then passes into the capping machine and the crown seal or other closure is applied to seal the bottle with the chemically inert carbon dioxide above the liquid.

By merely loosening the nut 23 the arm .I 5 may be adjusted to vary the extent to which the spring l9 will be loaded as the bottle passes the end of the arm I I and thereby vary the force of the blow of the hammer 13 against the bottle, which -in turn determines the amount of carbon dioxide which will be liberated from the liquid in the bottle. The relative'position of the tapping mechanism with respect to the capping machine may be varied within limits by means of the slot 6 in the base member 4. g

The invention hasbeen disclosed in connection with a system. in which separate machines are used for the filling and sealing operations, but it is to be understood that the tapping means may be used with equal facility in a combined filling and sealing machine, it being necessary merely to interpose the same between the filling, and sealing operations. It willalso understood that the invention is not limited to t e displacing of air from bottles but also may be used for the displacing of air from the tops of cans or any other type of container in which it may be desired to package carbonated beverages.

l. The method of packaging beverages containing carbon dioxide which comprises partially filling a receptacle with the beverage in an atmosphere containing air whereby the space in the container above the liquid will contain air, jarring the receptacle to cause a part of the carbon dioxide in the liquid to be liberated and thereby expel at least a part of the air from the spaceabove the liquid, and then sealing the container.

2. The method of packaging beverages containing carbon dioxide which comprises partially ping the receptacle to cause a part of the carbon dioxide in the liquid to be liberated and thereby expel at least a part of the air from the space above the liquid, and then sealing the container.

3. A system for packaging carbonated beveres comprising'means for partially filling receptacles with the beverage in an atmosphere containing air whereby the spaceabove-the liquidwill contain air, a closure-applying means,means for transferring the receptacle from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means,

whereby the same will rise to the surface of the liquid and displace at least a part of the air in the receptacle above the liquid. k

ages comprising means for partially filling receptacles with the beverage in an atmosphere con-' taining air whereby the space above the liquid will contain air, a closure-applying means, means for transferring the receptaclefrom the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means, and means for tapping the receptacle while it is 4. A system -for packaging carbonated beverin transit from the receptaclefillingmeans to 20 the closure-applying means to cause a portion of the carbon dioxide in the beverage to be liberated whereby, the same will rise to the surface of the liquid and displace at least a part of the air in the receptacle above the liquid. 7

5. A system for packaging carbonated beverages eomprising means for pmtially filling rece'ptacles with the beverage in an atmosphere containing air whereby the space above the liquid will contain air, a closure-applying means, means for transferring the receptacle from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means and means operated by the receptacle itself for jarring the receptacle while it is in transit from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means to cause a portion of the carbon dioxide in the beverage to be liberated whereby the same will rise to the surface of the liquid and displace at least a part of the air in the receptacle above the liquid.

6. A system for packaging carbonated beverages comprising means for partially filling receptacles with the beverage in an atmosphere containing air whereby the space above the liquid will contain air, a closure-applying means, means fortransferring the receptacle from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means, and means operated by the receptacle itself for tapping the receptacle while it is in transit from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means to cause a portion of the carbon dioxide in the beverage to be liberated whereby the same will rise to the surface of the liquid and displace at least a part of the air in the receptacle above the liquid.

7. A system for packaging carbonated beverages comprising means for partially filling receptacles with the beverage in an atmosphere containing air whereby the space above the liquid will contain air, a closure-applying means, means for transferring the receptacle from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means, means for jarring the receptacle while it is in transit from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means to cause a portion of the carbon dioxide in the beverage to be liberated whereby the same will rise to the surface of the liquid and displace at least a part of the air in the receptacle above the liquid, and means for adjusting the relative position of the receptacle-jarring means with respect to the closure applying means.

8.-A system for packaging carbonated beverages comprising means for partially filling receptacles with the beverage in an atmosphere accepts containing air whereby the space above the liquid will contain air, a closure-applying means, means for transferring the receptacle from the recep tacle-iilling means to the closure-applying means, means for tapping the receptacle while it is in transit from the receptacle-filling means to the closure-app means to cause a portion of the carbon dioxide in the beverage to be liberated whereby the same will rise to the surface of the liquid and displace at least a part the air in the receptacle above the liquid,

said tapping means comprising an oscillatable member having a pair of horizontally spaced arms, the arm nearer to the receptacle-filling means normally lying in the path of a receptacle in transit Irom the receptacle-filling means to the closure-applying means, said oscillatable member being displaceable by the force of a moving receptacle against the arm lying in its path, and means tending to quickly return said member to its normal position when the receptacle rides past the end or the arm nearest the .receptacle-fllling means, whereby the second arm strikes against the receptacle to jar the same.

9. A tapping device tor receptacles partially filled with a carbonated beverage which comprises an oscillatable member, said member having a pair 0! angularly disposed, vertically spaced arms, one or which acts as a tapper, and means for normally maintaining said member in a predetermined position, including means tending to quickly return said member, when oscillated, to its predetermined position.

10. In apparatus for liberating gas from a carbonated beverage in a receptacle, a pathway along which the receptacle is adapted to move, a tapping device including a member adapted to strike the receptacle, and a member normally positioned in the path of the receptacle as it moves along said pathway, said last mentioned member being operable by the movement oi. the receptacle there past to cause the tapping member to strike the receptacle with force sufllclent to jar the same and the liquid therein, to

cause a portion of the carbon dioxide in the liquid to be liberated.

11. In apparatus for liberating gas from a car- ,bonated beverage in a receptacle, a pathway along which the receptacle is adapted, to move,

a tapping device including a pivotally mounted tapping member, and a pivotally mounted member normally positioned in the receptacle as it moves along said pathway, said last mentioned member being operable by the movement of the receptacle there past to cause the tapping member to strike the receptacle with force suflicient to jar the same and the .liquid therein, to cause a portion or the carbon dioxide in the liquid to be liberated.

12. In apparatus for liberating gas from a carbonated beverage in a receptacle, a pathway along which the receptacle is adapted to move, a tapping device including a pivoted member having a pair of angularly disposed arms, one of which acts as a tapper and the other of which normally is positioned in the path of a receptacle moving along said pathway, said last mentioned arm being operable by the movement of the receptacle there past to cause an oscillation 01' said member and a striking of the receptacle by the other arm with force suillcient to jar the same and the liquid therein, to cause a portion of thecarbon dioxide in the liquid to be liberated.

13. In apparatus for liberating gas from a car bonated beverage in a receptacle, a pathway along which the receptacle is adapted to move, a tapping device including a pivoted member having a pair of angularly disposed arms, one of which acts as a tapper and the other of which normally is positioned in the path of the receptacle as it moves along said pathway, a spring tending to maintain said member in such position that said last mentioned arm is in its normallposition, said last mentioned arm being operable by the movement of the receptacle there past to cause an oscillation of said member and a striking of the receptacle by the other arm as the member returns to its normal position under the influence of said spring, with force suflicient to jar the same and the liquid therein, to cause a portion 01' the carbon dioxide in the liquid to be liberated.

HORACE H. FISHER.

DISCLAIMER 2,046,256.-H0mce H. Fisher, Salt Lake City, Utah. ME

IBERATING AIR FROM RECEPTACLES CONTAINING OARBONATED BEVER- AGES. Patent dated June 30, 1936. Dlsclaimer filed December 2, 1939, by the assignee, Crown Cork d2 Seal Company, Inc. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 in said specification.

[Ofiicial Gazette December 26', 1939.]

THOD AND APPARATUS non 

